Parents are on devices during meals even more than their kids. Here’s how to rethink family dinner | CNN

Once the school pick-up routine begins in the afternoon, it can feel like mental arithmetic getting everyone to the right place at the right time: One child has math tutoring from 2 to 4 p.m., and then it’s straight to soccer practice from 4:30 to 7. The other has dance class from 5 to 8 p.m., and then the whole family isn’t home until after 9 p.m. And then somewhere in there, you were supposed to eat Taco Tuesday leftovers together as a family. When families consistently share meals, experts say, they enjoy an abundance of benefits — such as improved emotional satisfaction and healthier diets — but finding the time to sit down together every night can sound like a tall order. Even for those families that manage to make a shared meals a reality, the pervasive use of media like smartphones and TVs during mealtimes is yet another factor that hampers connection. According to a new study that surveyed over 350 parents, more than 75% reported media use during their last family meal, with the most common type being smartphone use. Additionally, the parents reported that their children — whose ages ranged from 4 to 10 — were almost as likely to have used media, with nearly 70%

Jun 16, 2026 → Jun 16, 2026